Thermo-electric generator



(No Model.) -A

, H. B. Cox. THERMO-ELBGTRIG GENERATOR.

' Patented Juine- 9, 18:96.

VWM/5556.

Mum/ed /J @a ilnrrnn STATES ATENT FFME@ HARRY BARRINGER COX, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

TH ERMO-ELECTRlC G EN ERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,657, dated June 9,1896. i Application ledFebruary 13, 1895. Serial No.'538,28'2. (No model) l To all whom it 11i/ay concern-.j

Be it known that I, IIARRnBARRING-ER Cox,

I of Ilartford, ihn thc county of Hartford and Stat-c of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thermo- Electric Generators; and I do' hereby declare that|the following is a full,`clear, and enact descriptionof the invention, which will en- Y' IO ence being had to the accompanying drawable others skilled inf the art to which it appertains to inake'an'd use thesame, refer.-

l ings, andto the letters kof reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in thermo-electric generators. The object of the invention is to provide 4 an improved thermo-electric generator wherein the active Working current-generating element, per se, is easily removable from the supporting part-s and framework, so that the active part can be easily. removed and replaced at a minimum cost without in 'any way' injuring or mari-ing the frame supporting or inclosing parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide-eertain improvements in details of coul struction and arrangements of parts whereby ahighly efficient and practically and economically successful thermoelectric generator. can be produced' `and .maintained at a minimum cost.

The invention consists iu certain no ve1fea` tures of construction and in combinations of parts more fully and particularly described hereinafter, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring'to the accompanyingl drawings, Figure 1- is a vertical section of the casing and supporting part of a'thermo-electric generator, the active element of the generator being removed. Fig. 2 is a similar View of the generator complete with the active element clamped in place therein. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of an active element, per .se, removed from its casing and such as is shown in place iu the casing and'in section in Fig.

In the drawings, a is asupporting-bracket formed to be secured to the side of a vertical support and extend laterally therefrom. At its outer end .this bracket is provided with thc radiating and upward1y-extending arms D. At the center from which these arms ra-` diate the bracket has the central vertical openiugand clamping-screw c to receive the gas-burnerd, of any suitable and desirable f construction'. Although Ihave thus speci tical] y described a satisfactory forni. of supporting device for the parts hereinafter set forth, 'yet I do not limit'myself t'o. any particular form of sup.

port, as any suitable and desirable .can be employed. l v

e is thebottom ringer' annulus' of the 1nsupport .closing andsupporting casing for the active This annulus rests. f

elementof the generator. I on and is securely bolted to the upper endsl of said radiating arms of the bracket. Around its open center this annulus is provided with the upturned annular flange f.

The inclo'sing cylindrical outer wall or I less, while the top' opening is greater, than the diameter o f the active element.

il is a gasket or Aring of packing material,

such as rubber or other suitablematerial,`

resting on the upper surface of the bottom of the casin g, embracu g the central flange thereof around the central opening.

I7 is an approximately similar gasket or p'acking-ring resting on the pppersurface of thc annulus-top of the casing when the active element is therein and projecting over the same.-

k is the active or generating element of the generator formed in the shape of a hard open cylinder built up or' the rings of thermo-couples, therings being arranged one above the.l

other with insulating materialbetween, allthe rings being properly electrically connected.

Z is the otake iexible conductor from the bottom ring, and m is the o take from the top ring and opposite pole ofthe generator. This top conductor is properly connected with the end element of the top ring and brought down through the generatorbetween the op-A Sn of the case-that is, the bottom opening is Lft I senesi', i

posite poles of each ring and insulated there'- roin, so that both' conductors extend out through the bottom of the generator.

ln building the thermopi'lc-oractive elenient after the rings have ,been properly arranged and connected the entire cylinder is coated and filled in between the elements and rings with Ua 'plastic refractory compound which can. be hardened,so that a hard rigid cylinder is formed. A covering n, of sheet metal, is placed. around the cylinder and intimately :united therewithl or secured thereto, with its ends o o projecting slightly beyond the ends of the cylinder and slightly turned, beaded,

er spunin, as shown, if desired, but not necestom packinggasket `and presses the saineI against said flange, casing-bottom, and cylindergso as to form ai most water-tight joint.

The upper end of the cylindrical active element fits snugly within the top of the casing with the top gasket on its upper projecting edge-o; A top clamping-ring 1o is pro vided ex,- tendi'ng partially over the casing-top and the upper end of the cylinder` and resting on the top packing-gasket. Removable screws q pass through this ring and into the casing-top. When said screws are screwed into the casing, the top gasket-is compressed and exparrdcd between the clamping-ring and casing-top and `is pressed down around edge o, embedded in the same, and thereby forms a water-tight joint between the active elementthe cylinder is and top'of the casing, `while also secured and held. v

is a light spider-frame .to rest on the casing-top and having vertical sockets in the ends of its arms to removably rest on the vertical pins s from the casing-top. This spider has the central depending rod extending down l carrying the graduated deiectors t.

into the center of the generator-cylinder and This spider is placed in position after the active cylinder has been properly set and secured by the clampingerling p and is easily lifted from its position and laid to one side when the cylinder is to be removed.

On its upper side the supporting-bracket is provided 'with two double binding-posts n, (one only can be 'seen in the drawingsinsulated from each other and from the bracket, so vtlfiat the two terminal conductors pass from the bottom of the cylinder out through the open bottonfof the casing and are removably secured to their respective bindingposts, which also have the exterior openings and clamps for the wires of the Working lines.

When it is desired to remove the active element, for any reason, from .the complete device, the spider-trainer, with the deflectors, is lifted from the casing and Acylindrical active element, the screws q are loosened, and the clamping-ring p and the gasket j are lifted from the device. The terminal Wires lm are loosened from thebinding-posts u, and the active element can then ybe lifted bodily from thecasing out through the open top thereof with the terminal wires hanging loosely therefrom. v l

lt will be readily understood that the outer metal-coated wall of the active cylinder and the casing forms the water-j aclret around the generator-cylinder, 'the casing having the wa ter inlets and outlets, and the opposite ends of the active cylinder form water-tight joints with the casing ends.

The heat from the gas-burner passes centrally up through the open center oi' the cyl-v inder, and is equally diilused and distributed throughout the inner surface thereof by the deflectors, as is well understood. without inrther minute description7 while the outer sur-- face of the pile is maintained ata practically even temperature throughout and the heat is rapidly diffused by the water to produce the fall in thermic potential within the thervnance of thermo-electric generators itis desir-able to have the active element (the genv mating-cylinder) removable and renewable, so that it will not be necessary to injure the casing, which is comparatively expensive, every time a machine needs repairs or renewing. The active element is a comparatively inexpensive device and the only part that ever needs renewing withinthe life of the casing. Hence 'the importance and utility of this invention will be appreciated, as the active elements can be made to standardsizes nd 'supplied separately and kept on hand. y the user, and it will not be necessary to really destroy a machine to get at the active element, as heretofore, which really shortened the life of the entire machine to the life of its particular active element; but according to the present invention one casing will last indenitely and the active elements can be renewed asdesired. By this Ameans the practical and commercial success of thermo- -clectric generators is greatly enhanced and what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by 1.

Letters Patentof the United States, is- A 1. A thermo-electric generator comprising a supporting-casing forming a water-jacket,

and the removable active element forming the ICO tog

reo

inner wall of the water-space and removable from the easing without disturbing the same, Substantially as described. 4

f2. rlhe active generating e`lemcnt,as an article of manufacture, comprising the hard cyl- -inder of refractory material inclosing ,the

propcrly`connected thermo couples and hav ing the end projecting metal jacket around the same, and theterminals extending through the refractory material to the exterior of the cylinder, substantially as described.-

A thermo-electric generator having a supporting-casing with a top opening to permit insertion or removal of the active generating element, and the` removable activeclement in said casing and forming a tight joint therewith so that the casing can contain water surrounding said -element, substantially as described.

4. A thermo-electric generator comprising a supportingleasing having a bottom opening for the source of heat and a top opening to permit insertion or withdrawal of the cylindrical active element,the electrical terminals v of the active element passing out through the bottom opening and `removab1y secured so that they can be removed-1' withthe element,

and packing and clamping means to form tight joints at the ends of the active elementso that the casing can contain water sn rronnd- 4ing the element, substantially as described.

5. A casing of a thermo-electric generator having a bottom annulus with' a central opening less in diameter than the active reinov able element, and inclosing side wall, a top having its top opening of such diameter as to permit insertion or removal of the active element therethrough, and asupport for the easing, substantially as described.

6. A thermo-electric generator .comprisigg the casing having the bottom opening with upturned flange, the top opening, the remov- .able hollow active element resting on said flange, and having a metalfjacket with pro- HARRv BARRIN'GER cox. Witnesses:

0,-E. DUFFY,

C. M. WERLE. 

